In 1993 Mr Ginley appeared in court after voting twice in a council election.

He was found guilty and was ordered to do 200 hours of community service plus costs.

Ginley claimed that as he paid poll tax on two properties he should be entitled to two votes.

In 2003 Mr Ginley appeared before Calderdale Magistrates and admitted two charges of forgery that arose from an unpaid plumbing bill - he was handed a 180 hour community order plus costs.

Mr Ginley was arrested in 2010 on suspicion of electoral fraud. He said that confusion had arose following the collection of proxy vote forms.In 2012 he was kicked out of the local Conservative Party following accusations of ‘unethical practices’ after he allegedly asked someone to stand as a ‘Liberal’ candidate to undermine the prospects of the Liberal Democrat candidate.

Mr Ginley is adamant that he has done nothing wrong, he said: “I didn’t claim expenses like most people do for attending every week, but when I was on business for the Fire Authority that’s what the expenses were for.”